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Canadian Astronauts Announced

Published: 7 July 2017

On Canada Day, July 1, 2017, Canada's newest astronauts were announced: Dr. Jennifer Sidey (B.Eng. Honours '11) and Mr. Joshua Kutryk, both from Alberta. The Department of Mechanical Engineering at McGill is very proud of Jennifer's achievement.

Some background, provided by Professor Bergthorson, her honours thesis advisor:  During her studies, Jenni stood out as a student who wanted to truly understand each subject. Her undergraduate Honours research focussed on metal-water reactions, specifically aluminum, to produce hydrogen on demand as part of a green energy cycle. She also assisted Ph.D. student François Tang on microgravity experiments conducted at the NRC facilities in Ottawa, with the project supported by the Canadian Space Agency.  These experiments involved the combustion of iron with air and other oxidizers to develop an improved understanding of the fundamentals of metal combustion. Following her Bachelor’s degree, Jenni pursued her Ph.D. at Cambridge University under the supervision of Professor Epaminondas Mastorakos in the Hopkinson Laboratories. Her Ph.D. research shed new light on the concept of low-emissions combustion technologies. Throughout her studies and professional career, Jenni has been focused on communicating science and engineering to the general public and, especially, youth and young women. Read more.

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